My husband is going to make me an electric bobbin winder.  All was going fine until he asked "how many RPMs?".  His engineering brain works in very logical, specific terms... my response "well, pretty fast, I think," met with rolling eyes.  Help!  Anyone have any idea the RPMs on a store bought model?

Comments

McSnygg

Tell him you need the same RPM's as a power drill. Really not all that much. Probably as little as he can find.

kerstinfroberg

And you want variable speed! (says one who has an AVL winder, which starts with a jerk at high speed, and goes on to ever higher. This presents a problem when/if I wind from skeins)

jander14indoor (not verified)

Commercial ones use standard el cheapo sewing machine motors with no gearing. Mine has a rated rpm of 7000!!  I suspect that's a no load speed.  But as Kerstin said, you want variable speed.  That's a convenient reason to use sewing machine motors as most come pre-wired for foot speed controllers that will allow you to go from creep to screaming without taking up an extra hand.  You need the variable speed as you want control, especially when starting a bobbin and speed to get the job done.

PS, I used an electric drill for a while and it was ok.  Wasn't as fast as my commercial unit and it required one hand to be dedicated to speed control while the other guided the thread onto to spool.  OK, but not near as convenient as a dedicated winder.

Jeff Anderson
Livonia, MI

jander14indoor (not verified)

Commercial ones use standard el cheapo sewing machine motors with no gearing. Mine has a rated rpm of 7000!!  I suspect that's a no load speed.  But as Kerstin said, you want variable speed.  That's a convenient reason to use sewing machine motors as most come pre-wired for foot speed controllers that will allow you to go from creep to screaming without taking up an extra hand.  You need the variable speed as you want control, especially when starting a bobbin and speed to get the job done.

PS, I used an electric drill for a while and it was ok.  Wasn't as fast as my commercial unit and it required one hand to be dedicated to speed control while the other guided the thread onto to spool.  OK, but not near as convenient as a dedicated winder.

Jeff Anderson
Livonia, MI

Kevin.macfarlane

Hello, I am unable to PM you but I am Looking to purchase a tapered shaft to use for a bobbin winder. Is it still possible tu purchase one from you? Or do you know where I could order one from?

illoominated (not verified)

After reading your comments, I gave my husband an old sewing machine that had been retired to the closet.  He took it apart, used the pieces, and I have an adjustable rate electric spool winder!  It works like a charm...now to do the sewingmachinechtomy and build a housing for it.

Sewing machine

ReedGuy

I don't have junked out sewing machines here, so I just ordered a Leclerc double end winder. But a foot feed like you have there should work just fine on your home made one. The drill method may work for some, but foot control in nicer and no fatigue.

Glad you found a solution that works.

pammersw

Michael: the motor you linked to costs $63, plus the cost of the dimmer. A replacement sewing machine motor with cord can cost less than half that,  used with the dimmer. Or get the replacement motor and foot pedal and cord for about 2/3rds that. :)

Michael White

right direction, were can I find these?

Michael

pammersw

I think there are better prices from vintage sewing machine folks (I recall generic motors at $20 to 25, foot controls at $20) but this is the result of a quick web search. 

Basic generic motor with wall plug. Plug this into your dimmer and you're done. $27 at http://www.amazon.com/MGS-Global-Griswold-FM15/dp/B002BGF2OA/ref=pd_sim_hg_1?ie=UTF8&refRID=0WMCMP73N9YPMZ0S75X5

Foot control with cord, plug-in block. Plug above into this and you're done. $25.33 with free shipping. http://www.amazon.com/Control-Pedal-Light-motor-Fc-143/dp/B0038RLDXK

There are also wire-in options that cost less - easy two-wire connection - but you'll have to haunt ebay for those. Basically like above foot pedal without the plug block - just a cord with two leads. It gets wired in where the motor's plug cord is. Or you might find a foot control with only the plug into the wall. In that case, cut the plug off the motor, wire the lead into the foot control. I think there are youtube videos on this.

The plug in example given first does everything your motor and dimmer switch does, at 2/3rds total cost, no wiring. Or the motor alone costs half the one you linked to, and use your dimmer. :)

jander14indoor (not verified)

I think the 20,000 rpm on the Grainger motor is far more speed than you need.  My 7000 rpm winder will burn my fingers through my leather winding gloves if I'm not careful.

Heres a motor for $20 http://www.shop.sew-classic.com/Motor-New-Replacement-Motor-09-amps-SCE35L09.htm

And a pedal control for $11 http://www.shop.sew-classic.com/Foot-Controls-Foot-Pedals-Parts_c9.htm

Other than speed, similar specs to the grainger one on power.

Jeff Anderson

pammersw

That would do it, Jeff! And I believe you are right about the rpms.

Add a $3 extension cord as a wire and plug source to get the juice to the foot control and some scrap wood to mount it to, and you have the makings of a variable speed electric winder for around $35. :)

I'm still using a drill, but will probably order from that site when I'm ready to make a dedicated bobbin winder. :)

jander14indoor (not verified)

You'll need a couple of extra parts.  The motor shaft isn't long enough to mount a spool.  You'll either need a tapered shaft (offered by Michael White above) or two cones, one to mount to the motor and the other on a shaft on a bearing mounted opposite the motor.  See the commercial ones in catalogs and that will make more sense.

Jeff

illoominated (not verified)

The directions from my husband: First, I unbolted the motor from the sewing machine frame and also detached the drive belt pulley (the thing that the drive belt rests in) from the shaft of the motor. Then I attached the tapered shaft from Jane's manual spool winder to the shaft of the sewing machine motor. I got lucky here since both her manual winder and the shaft of the sewing machine motor were 1/4" in diameter. (From Jane:  the shaft comes off with an allen wrench and can be used interchangeably)  Finally, I wired in the foot speed controller from her sewing machine and a on-off switch, and put it all on a simple wooden frame.

From Jane:  THIS WORKS SO WELL>  HOORAY!

.

ZenSojourner

Is there a way to get bigger pictures, illoominated?  I'm old and my decrepit eyes can't see those ...

pammersw

You are right, Jeff. I'll probably use the same shaft I currently mount in my drill-powered bobbin winder. :) I might get fancier later with a tapered shaft. :)

learning2weave

I ripped apart an old sewing machine but the motor doesn't have a casing...might just buy the already cased motor and foot pedal instead. Any ideas how to put a tensioner on the wood block..what to use??

learning2weave

I ripped apart an old sewing machine but the motor doesn't have a casing...might just buy the already cased motor and foot pedal instead. Any ideas how to put a tensioner on the wood block..what to use??

ReedGuy

Are you mounting an arbor in a bearing on the tensioned wood block? What you could do is, on the underside, route a 3/8" deep by 1-1/4" (or width of washers + 1/6") up the centre of the base. Run this groove from the edge of the motor mount to within 2" of the far end. Then from the centre of it's length route a centred groove all the way through the base, which is 3/4" thick hardwood. Get a tension spring half the length of the wider groove on the underside, attach at the motor end with screw and washer. Attach to the underside of the tensioner block with one screw and wide washer. Use another screw and wide washer on the other end of the block. The tensioner block will probably be 2-1/2" x 1-1/2" thick. It will have a cavity to hold the bearing and arbor that a bandsaw will cut a thin vertical curf so the block can be tightened (to close the groove gap) with a head bolt and head bolt cap across the thickness. So a hole is drilled through the tension block to hold the head bolt. The one I just bought, I can't build any cheaper. It's a double end unit. I got it to wind spools and quills. I'm not sure if it will do pirns, but I have a hand one that does. You'll also need thick rubber washers on the opposing arbors to help secure the bobbin. Mount rubber washers on the underside of the base to so it won't slide around, or just clamp it.

 

You'll have to work on the dimensions of the winder base, grooves and tensionor block to fit your hardware on hand but dimensions given here will get you thinking. I would just buy one and be done and ahead. :)

Trishads

I am thinking of purchasing an electric bobbin winder and I'm unsure as to where it is worth paying more for an avl winder or going with the cheaper leclerc one. I've seen good reviews of the AVL but couldn't find any for the leclerc 

jmbennett (not verified)

Or you could purchase this one:

http://hardmaplelooms.com/products/electric-double-ended-bobbin-winder-prins-spools-etc-with-cone-adapters

I just did and love it.  Had a different make hand made with foot pedal and sewing machine that I bought off someone making them on ebay about 4 years ago but this model is a huge improvement.  Smooth, quiet and I love it.  And it winds cones, bobbins, quills and spools.

Jamie in Western KY

Isarwinkler

I've to wind a lot of pirns a day and since I've got my mini-woodturning-machine it's fun to do it. And goes really fast!

For tensioning I use eye bolts and a wooden stick with an eye bolt with porcellain eye for guiding the yarn.

Gernot Embarassedmini-woodturning-machine

Nakia

Neat idea using a wood turning machine. Amazing how many things can be used to make winders out of. Smile

 

It gave me an idea to go dig out hubby's old metal lathe. Then I remembered why it is stored away someplace (been so long since I saw it forgot where it is). It kept breaking it's belt/band & he got tired of messing with it. So guess I will scrap that notion.

ReedGuy

I use a Leclerc double end electric here. I wind spools, pirns, quills. You can do cones as well with adapters for the double end winder. Some folks with a small diameter hole in their bobbins say they can't wind those, so check the hole size of your bobbins to see if they will be able to fit the winder shaft. It's easy if the bobbin hole is oversized, just wrap some freezer tape on the winder shaft. I think most folks like their AVL's. These winders are at a pretty good price point if you have nothing at all that will wind a bobbin. Then some jury rigged apparatus sometimes don't work all that well.

loveovershot

My husband made an electric winder for me out of a sewing machine motor and foot pedal. I have an extra motor and foot pedal I am willing to sell for $20.00 plus shipping from NE Ohio.

email Kathy, [email protected]

norgard

I built a winder from an old sewing machine motor and foot controller, and it works great for bobbins, but I recently bought an end feed shuttle and even at the slowest speed, it is too fast for me to wind pirns. After reading the other posts on this subject, I’m thinking that I might need to replace the foot controller with a dimmer switch.  Anybody know if the dimmer will give me better slow speed control than the foot switch?

Lainey

I recently discovered that foot pedals are adjustable.  there is a screw that controls how far the pedal can be depressed.  I adjusted my foot pedal and now have much more control.  Maybe check your pedal to see if yours can be adjusted.

norgard

Thanks, but I must have an extra touchy potentiometer in my foot pedal, because the motor spins too fast as soon as the pedal engages.  I even have a small block of wood glued to the end of the pedal (low tech solution) preventing the pedal from being depressed beyond where the motor just first starts up.  It just doesn't have any low speed control.

Michael White

A dimmer switch wired into the motor will let you go from slow to off.

norgard

Thanks.  I wired a dimmer switch in line with the foot control and now I have low and medium speed control.  What a difference it makes when I am winding pirns!

Michael White

Great, now you can enjoy winding without the "machine" running away from you.

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